Intelligence is not on the side of Unbelief

“In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”  (Psalm 10:4 N.I.V.)

On radio the other day, I heard a man declare proudly how rare it was to be an atheist among his community. The history of the black community in America to which he belongs has generally been one permeated by faith in God and dependence on him through slavery and emancipation. The man seemed to think that his atheism reflected on his intelligence!  He is not alone. Many think of religious people are less bright. “Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. – Seneca.

Many quoted studies have concluded that people with higher IQs are less religious: for example there are more atheists in Western countries where people have higher levels of education (making them more analytical and scientifically minded).  However these studies do not consider the issue of poverty, disease and access to education in less developed countries. They do not consider the most relevant issue: pride. People who have achieved a lot take personal glory and fail to acknowledge God’s grace.  The Lord says, “I trained him from infancy, I taught him to walk, I held him in my arms. But he does not know or even care that it was I who raised him.” (Hosea 11:3, Living Bible). People fail to acknowledge God because they want to be free of moral restraints and not because of their intelligence.

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By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me.  The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green.  The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.  ~Thomas Merton

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